Slashdot Mirror
Execs at AOL Approved Release of Private Data?
reporter writes "The New York Times has published a report providing further details about the release of private AOL search queries to the public. According to the report: 'Dr. Jensen, who said he had worked closely with Mr. Chowdhury on projects for AOL's search team, also said he had been told that the posting of the data had been approved by all appropriate executives at AOL, including Ms. [Maureen] Govern.' The report also identifies the other two people whom AOL management fired: they are Abdur Chowdhury and his immediate supervisor. Chowdhury is the employee who did the actual public distribution of the private search queries. He, apparently, has retained a lawyer."
I haven't followed this story so correct me if I'm wrong but -- the "private data" here were just search terms with no user identification, right?
It was a bit more than just search, it was complete records of internet usage from the ISP.
If that's the case, who the hell cares?
In many cases it is simple to piece together who a user is from these records and some of the data mining potential is more than a little invasive. This is stuff like someone who routinely edits a myspace page with personally identifying information on it and the online stores and Websites they've visited. Gee someone edits John Smith's page and they have been looking at resources for dealing with HIV. Well they won't be winning the local county seat election now will they?
It looks like nobody is ever going to trust AOL again after this debacle. What a mess for AOL. What a mess for the 200,000 some people whose searches were given to the whole world to look at gleefully and laugh at them. This is so embarassing.